December 22, 2015

Independent Producing with Amanda Verhagen

#BITCHPLEASE
I met Amanda Verhagen on the balcony of the palais des festival during the
Producer's Workshop at Cannes.
She was everything I love: ambitious, dark humoured, and Canadian. She rocked
the Cannes Film Festival like she owned it and her credentials, impressive.

In any networking
situation, your heart is scanning the room and reading the vibes, much more
than you're conscious of. When you walk away from a conversation with business
card in hand, you'll only remember how that person made you feel and you can't
make people feel good without being good. This is the quality of a good
producer, leaving someone with the impression that you're the real deal,
willing to help, willing to battle in the trenches side by side. That can't be
manufactured. That's what Amanda Verhagen made me feel.

Amanda's advice on
being an independent producer is killer. She is a refreshingly clear voice in
an industry full of change and uncertainty. This is an absolute MUST READ for
anyone serious about working in film and television and I'm so grateful to be
hosting her here! ENJOY xoxo.

Independent
Producing

Guest post by Amanda
Verhagen

Amanda Verhagen walking the red carpet in South Korea for THE DEVOUT première.

I write this on the
eve of my 26th birthday while looking back on the incredible year I've had. This past year alone,
I was lucky enough to work alongside the infectiously positive Daniel Hogg
while producing the feature film 'The Devout'. I've had the privilege of
traveling the world while backpacking Europe and Japan. I've been to galas, red
carpets and awards shows. I've attended major film festivals such as the Cannes
Film Festival in France, Busan Film Festival in South Korea and of course the Vancouver
Film Festival in my hometown. This, all while working for the increasingly
popular Warner Brother's television series The Flash as a day job. There
are more than enough things in my life to be grateful for.

My journey has not
been an easy one. Becoming a producer is particularly challenging when you’re
young and a woman. The only real benefit is that people seem to underestimate
me, and that gives my accomplishments more weight.

I had been working in
the film industry for a few years, after graduating with a degree in Theatre
Production from the University
of Victoria and worked my
way up the ranks quite quickly from film production assistant to production
coordinator. During season 1, I was in the office kitchen when I received a call
from my now producing partner, Daniel Hogg, "You still want to run a
studio by 30?" he said. This phone call changed my life. Through producing
my first feature film with him, I have learned more in the last year than my
entire education combined. And what was once a career became a complete and overwhelming
passion.

I believe that passion
is infectious. People crave it, they want to be inspired by it and hold it for
their own. Because of this, I've had many people come out of the woodwork to
ask my advice. They usually offer to buy me a coffee and come with a list of
the same few questions. I love this practice. I think it's so important to help
each other. There are many people in my life I've called from time to time to
ask questions. There is no formal education that can prepare you for producing like
this.

"The only real benefit is that people seem to underestimate me, and that gives my accomplishments more weight."

The standard questions
people ask are: How do I break into the industry, what does a union do, what
should my resume look like and who's the most famous person you've met? I give
them the usual speech, become a production assistant, observe the different
jobs, and decide what you want to do, be nice to everyone and eventually you'll
be in your department of choice. It's a little different for producing, as
there is no set path. That job requires you to find a script, source the
financing and make your movie.

The advice I have to
budding producers is to research the hell out of your craft. Read everything
you can, and learn everything you can. Whether it's about accounting,
marketing, funding sources, producers labs, festivals, the trades, it's
all-important. Producing is a self-motivated job, and it's up to you to drive
your career forward. The amount of work you put in is what
comes out it. But as with everything, success comes at a price.

I've spent many nights
in my apartment working away, while my incredibly understanding friends go out.
My 20s haven't exactly been the most typical of the lot. While my friends from
back home are getting married, finding new 'friends' on Tinder or
finishing school, I'm in my apartment pouring over reports on audience trends
from Eastern Europe, negotiating with foreign distributors and going through
media training with my publicist. All in the hopes that some day, all of my
hard work will pay off and I'll become the next Kathleen Kennedy, Joss Whedon
or even better, something I create myself.

During these coffee
classes I like to remind filmmakers about the lifestyle they are about to
embark on. It's important to know you'll be working long days, nights and weekends.
The divorce rate is incredibly high and the failure rate even higher. After I
start diving into the depths of all this, people can become discouraged and ask
me why I still do this and what keeps me going.

They say for every
yes, there are at least 100 no's, which wrong, It's more like 1000. The one
thing that has always gotten me through all the disappointment and heartache
that goes along with this industry is one phrase that I repeat to myself ad
nauseam: "It may not be ideal, but it's always for the best".

Whether it’s a
contract that fell through, an actor I couldn't get or a festival rejection, I
always tell myself that phrase and know that something better will come along.
And guess what. It always does. If I continue through my life always being
disappointment by the roadblocks in my way, I'll never have the drive to
continue. And trust me, those yes moments are what make it all worthwhile.

I often think back to
that day in The Flash kitchen when Daniel called, and changed
everything. Everyday is the day that could change your life, you just have to
be able to recognize it, put in the work and have faith that everything is for
the best.

BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS for Film:

Women in Film Producer's Workbook 4 by
Women in Film and Television Vancouver

Film and Video Budgets 6 by Maureen A Ryan

Film Production Management 101 by Deborah Patz

BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS for Life:

You've Never Weird on The Internet -
Felicia Day

The Alchemist - Paulo Coelho

Yes Please - Amy Poehler

AMANDA JUST DROPPED
THE MIC

Amanda Verhagen is
known for her organization talents and coordinating prowess. After graduating
from The University of Victoria's Phoenix Theatre Production & Management
Bachelors program, she moved to Vancouver
to jump feet first into her life long passion of film production. At a
young age, Amanda began excelling in her field and has had the privilege to
work as a Production Coordinator for television series such as CBC's Artic Air and
Warner Brother's The Flash and feature films such as Hector & The Search
for Happiness and Poker Night.

With a bright smile and full force
determination Amanda is thrilled to make the move into the producing world with
her recent feature The Devout and upcoming features soon to be announced.